Wright fails physical; trade to SF voided

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Cornerback Eric Wright failed his physical with the San Francisco 49ers, nullifying a trade to bring him to Northern California from Tampa Bay.

He was subsequently released by the Buccaneers.

San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh declined to say specifically what portion of the physical Wright failed and made just a brief statement on the situation.

“We don’t ever talk about that,” Harbaugh said Monday. “The information is he didn’t pass his physical, he’s not on the team.”

Thus ends a quirky four-day stretch that began after the 49ers appeared to have acquired the former second-round draft pick from Tampa Bay on Friday in exchange for a conditional draft pick in 2014.

Shortly thereafter, reports surfaced that Wright had been arrested a week earlier in Los Angeles on an unspecified misdemeanor charge. It’s unclear if the 49ers were aware of Wright’s situation when they made the trade.

Wright was arrested in 2012 on felony DUI charges and was suspended for four games last season by the NFL for violating the performance-enhancing drug policy in his first season with the Bucs. Wright signed a five-year, $35.3 million contract with the Bucs prior to the 2012 season.

The move to trade for Wright immediately raised eyebrows after Harbaugh’s comments during the team’s June minicamp when he made it clear he wouldn’t accept players breaking the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs for a perceived edge.

Even though Wright was never officially on the 49ers roster, Harbaugh emphasized his message is still the same.

“That hasn’t changed,” he said. “I think our guys do a good job of playing within the rules.”

Harbaugh avoided questions about 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks’ legal issues. Brooks allegedly hit teammate Lamar Divens in the head with a bottle multiple times during an altercation on June 8 but avoided prosecution when the Santa Clara district attorney’s office declined to file charges because of insufficient evidence.